Anesthesia for children and adolescents
Unlike adults, children have different anatomy, physiology, psychological needs and accordingly, unique anesthetic considerations. Most children can tolerate routine dental care requiring only numbing medication (local anesthesia), laughing-gas (nitrous oxide inhalational sedation), or perhaps, laughing-gas in combination with a relaxing oral sedative (oral conscious sedation). However, children that require extensive treatment, are very young (pre-cooperative), uncooperative, combative, have a neurodevelopmental disorder, or those who have been traumatized by a previous negative dental/medical experience may benefit from sleep dentistry (IV sedation or general anesthesia). Our board-certified doctors specialize in providing hospital-quality sedation and general anesthesia in the comfort of your own pediatric dental office. Our anesthesia care team creates a non-threatening, controlled and fun environment, so that your child can achieve their treatment goals in a single appointment while peacefully napping, then go home quickly with minimal memory of the experience.
Most pediatric patients are good candidates for an outpatient/in-office anesthetic and can be safely and predictably cared for in a dental operatory, resulting in a cost-effective and efficient pathway to oral health. However, more medically complex pediatric patients would be more appropriately treated in a hospital setting. An anesthesia provider will evaluate the patient’s health history in-order to make this determination. Once an appointment is scheduled, a patient packet will be emailed to you, containing information about the anesthesiologist and what to expect before the procedure, on the day of the procedure, during the procedure and following the procedure. You will be personally contacted by the anesthesiologist the night prior to treatment to discuss the pre-operative instructions, anesthetic plan, risks, benefits, alternatives and have adequate time to ask the doctor your questions. The anesthesiologist will also contact you the night of the procedure to check on the patient’s recovery.
Anesthesia for Adults
Achieving your dental goals can be challenging, especially if you are among the very common of patients in need of extensive treatment requiring multiple, lengthy procedures. Perhaps you are among many that have endured lingering memories of a previous unpleasant dental/medical experience. Maybe you are among many that suffer from a severe needle phobia, hypersensitive gag reflex, low pain threshold, inability to get numb, or are of advanced age and bear special medical conditions that limit your ability to tolerate the stress of dental surgery. Aspire Anesthesia specializes in caring for you and your loved ones by making your dental experience one that is positive, pain-free and peaceful.
Anesthesia for special needs
There is a subset of patients that are underserved by dental professionals. Most practitioners are unaware that those with special needs such as a physical or cognitive disability, can be safely, compassionately, and comfortably treated “in-office.” Dental Anesthesia Associates endeavors to expand the access to care for this patient population. Our board-certified anesthesiologists are experienced in creating a calm and controlled environment conducive to high-quality, predictable dental treatment. Most often, other medical interventions (e.g. venous blood draws) can be completed concurrent to the dentistry, while the patient is peacefully resting. The process of scheduling anesthesia services starts by determining if the patient is a good candidate for an outpatient anesthetic or would be more appropriately treated in a hospital setting. An anesthesia provider will evaluate the patient’s health history, ASA classification, body habitus, airway status, functional capacity and may request additional materials such as a H&P, lab tests, ECG, imaging studies, or cardiology reports in-order to make this determination.
Relax with Sedation Dentistry
Patients That Benefit from Dental Anesthesia
- Patients requiring extensive dental and surgical treatments
- Patients who avoid dental care because they are terrified
- Dental phobias and dental anxiety
- Children at young age (pediatric)
- Seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia
- Patients on the autism spectrum
- Patients with a strong gag reflex
- Patients with a history of local anesthetic failure or “difficult to numb”
- Adults with tremor disorders like Parkinson’s disease or cerebral palsy
- People with developmental disabilities
- Individuals with psychiatric disorders who might injure themselves or the dental team
- Individuals with an extensive dental treatment plan
- Limited timeline to complete advanced treatments
Dental Procedures that Require Anesthesia
- Full Mouth Reconstruction
- Smile Makeover
- Full Mouth Dental Implants
- Tooth Extraction
- Root Canal
- Wisdom Teeth Removal (3rd Molar extraction)
- Orthognathic Surgery (Corrective Jaw Surgery)